After Math
by Nikki2131
Summary: World War One brought Ludwig down to his knees and now he feels nothing but anger and aggression. He is having a hard time coping with how wronged he feels. Ludwig is just about to end his existence when a helping hand appears to help channel that anger towards the nations that humiliated him. (No pairing)(Single chapter)


_Hey guys! This is just a quick one. I've had it in my head, and since I am having trouble with my Avengers story, I'd figure I'd get some creative steam out of my head. This is nothing special but a bit of personification during the after math of World War One. This is going to be only a one-shot and there is really no plot behind it other than Ludwig wallowing in the pain after WW1 until someone shows up to give him a helping hand. _

_I understand this might be a lil' bit out of character, but just think about the situation Ludwig is in. Anyway:_

_I don't own APH_

_Enjoy reading! I hope you leave a review or favorite! Thanks! _

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**After Math **

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It was cold and dark. The dampness in the air felt like a thousand bricks weighing down on him. Uniform torn, blood drying across his body and scars only now just healing, Ludwig was the prime example of beaten. He had been beaten, torn apart by savages and left to fend for himself while those around him ate gluttonously, lived greedily and divided him in half as if he was theirs to do so.

He couldn't remember how it started; it seemed so far away now. All he could remember is that he was paying for all the mistakes, not just his own. He had the ever lasting memory of that American Pig, laughing at his downfall, and the British Frog drawing territory lines across the German map.

The war had been so long and tiring, and Ludwig only regretted being willing to give for the selfish Hungary-Austria nation. He had battled, stood up in arms for the other, only to be shatter and torn down because of it. He had been destroyed and most of all, humiliated. It was one big blur of nations and alliances. Countries getting into a war that they had no business getting into.

Ludwig was not the reason the war had expanded across the global, it was the American Pig and his allies. Ludwig was simply being the dutiful ally while the other nations were being nosey bastards who saw an opportunity to make money and take land that was not theirs.

The German sobbed slightly, blond hair tussled and covered in ash and gun residue. He examined a scar that had been cut through the cloth of his uniform. The trench warfare had probably been the worst. A static warfare that left the battle ground the purest shade of red that Ludwig had ever seen. He touched the scar, knowing it would never leave him; it was far too deep to heal correctly.

He took his tattered hat off slowly and sat in on the damp grass beside him. The green texture was the only thing he could identify at the moment. Ludwig began to examine other scars, ones left from Versailles. It was a joke to think he had sign that damn paper with a smile on his face. They might as well have held a gun to the back of his head. Ludwig wouldn't put it past the American Pig to do so.

He could already feel it, weighing heavy on his back, all the things he was forced to pay for, both metaphorically and physically. The other nations were planning to take all he had and then some. They would suck from his great nation the very life that kept it alive and would not feel any remorse about it at all.

Pulling himself out of his own thoughts, Ludwig looked down at the pistol he held in his hands now. The end had to be far better than the future. There was nothing left for him here, and what was left, Francis or Arthur would snatch up. The blond refused to live that way, working hard every day of his life to support nations too lazy to do it themselves.

It was amazing that France and England had hated each other up to the very point where they could make money off of Ludwig, and it all made a dramatic left turn. It was like those two were buddy-buddy now, and Ludwig wouldn't be surprised if sexual encounters were involved now. He shrugged, not that it mattered to him anyway. He was leaving, and he would dissolve and leave the other countries to occupy this corrupted world they created from his remains.

"What are you think you are doing?" the voice was sharp, harsh and most of all cold. Colder than a Russian winter. Ludwig pulled the gun away from his temple, hands still shaking from exhaustion. The German was a proud man and did not want someone to catch him in the act, but even fate seemed to despise him and stab him in the back.

However, he was surprised to see the albino that he knew so well. Ludwig couldn't even recall the last time he was in contact with Gilbert; it had been that long ago.

"I asked what you were doing" Gilbert looked down at his kneeling brother, who looked like a disgusting street orphan. His eyes were unforgiving as they looked on at Ludwig, waiting for an answer from the younger of the two. "American got your tongue?"

It was a low blow, and it left Ludwig pointing the gun at the Prussian, pulling the trigger without a second thought. The chamber was empty, but even so, Gilbert had made no attempt to move from the assault. "Tsk" he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"What do you want?" Ludwig hissed, trying to wipe away the hot tears from his face. He looked like a disgrace and Gilbert didn't have to say anything for Ludwig to know of his disapproval. Weakness was a taboo for Gilbert. Though, it irked Ludwig to see that his older brother didn't look nearly as bad as he did. In fact, Gilbert looked like a spit-shined nickel with a new uniform and shiny buttons.

"I want you to stop groveling on the ground like a peasant." Gilbert growled, lifting his foot and shoving it hard against Ludwig's shoulder, causing him to fall backwards and his back to hit the dirty ground. "You are pathetic. Weak. A disgrace Ludwig." the words only seemed to cut into the German like knives. "These nations have taken from you. Stolen! Stolen what is rightfully yours and yet instead of going about it like a man...you sob and wallow in the dirt."

"What do you want me to do?!" Ludwig yelled, lashing out at his brother with so much anger that he felt like a volcano exploding. He had already been mocked by the other nations; he couldn't bear to be mocked by his own blood now.

Gilbert was impassive by the German's outburst, and instead leaned down, handing his brother a solid black hat, a red ribbon circling the base of it and a silver pin emblem attached to the front. "What is this?" Ludwig asked in astonishment, wondering why some stupid hat was important to Gilbert.

"You're revenge" The words came out of Gilbert's mouth like smooth honey. They sounded so seductive and beautiful and Ludwig wanted to know more the instant Gilbert spoke. If he could spill French blood or American blood the way they so freely spilt German blood, Ludwig would listen to anything his brother had to say to him. "You are going to show them what true power is. What a powerful nation can accomplish. You...you my dear brother are going to conquer to the world. You will make them all pay." Gilbert stood, tugging Ludwig to his feet.

"You will make them fall, one by one, to their knees as they did to you. Think of this as your retaliation. It is only fair; they have torn you down piece by piece, now it is their turn to eat the dirt on the ground. For you to smash their face into it, and for them to taste every last blade of grass on the horizon" the Prussian swept his hand across the air in a fluid motion, and for once in a long time, Ludwig was able to seem more than just the consuming darkness.

It was like someone had cleared his vision, wiped away the tears from his eyes and let him seem the world in its entirety.

He saw the rising sun, the oranges and reds blending together and signaling the start of a new day. "Imagine the ground as colorful as the sky. Your enemies' bodies scattered across the field and decorating the world with justice" Gilbert growled.

"Justice?" Ludwig pondered, glancing down at the clean and neat hat still in his hands. Examining it a bit more, he placed the black hat atop his head, looking at his brother. Gilbert's eyes were filled with approval, but were dilated with a hint of insanity. It would only be years later that Ludwig would realize that said insanity is what ate away at Gilbert.

"Yes, poetic...rightful...justice" Gilbert breathed in happily, turning and clasping his brother's shoulders with his strong hands. "You will tower over the world once this is over. You will be the master of this Earth and each and every one of those nations that degraded you...that laughed at you…stole from you..."Gilbert stopped, pulling Ludwig's chin into his hand.

"Every one of those nations that raped you…That took away what made you my brother...they will know your pain times tenfold. You want that right? You want to give them what they gave you?" Gilbert phrased it like a question, but to Ludwig, it sounded more like a statement.

A glorious statement that Ludwig's mind held onto. He was powered by that statement. The need for revenge pumping through his veins alongside his German blood caused Ludwig to grin slightly at the idea.

The blond found himself nodding; the prospect of watching Alfred bleed, or Francis cry out in extreme pain was exciting him. He wanted to watch Arthur crawl across the floor in exhausting agony; Francis trembling in fear of Ludwig's presence.

He wanted to watch the overbearing Russian fall to his knees with agonizing pain inflicted with his own bloody pipe.

It was almost as if Gilbert could see it, a small touch of Ludwig's own insanity overpowering his mind. "I knew you would. You simply needed a push in the right direction Bruder." Gilbert smiled, yet it didn't warm Ludwig's heart in the least bit.

It actually felt like his heart was slowly turning into the same stone that made up Gilbert's. Patting Ludwig on the shoulder, he turned his brother and ushered him to follow. Ludwig did as he was asked, only two steps behind Gilbert. "Where are we going?" Ludwig asked, his vision becoming clearer with each step.

The sunrise, the cool grass and the bodies of dead soldiers that would always give their life faithful for Germany. Gilbert did not seem to notice them as he moved, walking it no direction particular. "We are moving towards revenge." The elder laughed lowly.

"We are moving towards your victory. Your honor" he added.

Gilbert stopped, arms folded behind his back. "This time, I hope that you will not fail me, bruder. I am giving you the best to destroy those pigs in the West."

Ludwig growled at his counter-part. It is not like Ludwig enjoyed being defeated either. He did not willingly go into a war just so he could bend his knees to some other nation that would never be half the man he was.

"Do you promise?" Gilbert pulled him out of his angry thoughts. "Do you promise me Ludwig, that you will not fail me this time?"

"...I promise" Ludwig nodded, his face stoic. Gilbert's lips, on the other hand, curled up in a Cheshire smiled, turning and continuing to walk across the bloody battle field.

"I would like you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Adolf"


End file.
